Random washing machine timing

[yourehavingabath]

I put my washing machine on on the one hour cycle earlier. Popped to the shop, and when I came home it said 1hr 12mins remaining.

Checked ten mins later and it was down to 11 minutes remaining.

It definitely seems to be finishing at slightly longer than the hours cycle, but I can’t be 100% sure of when I put it on. I can just see that I used my bank card over an hour ago, and that was after the cycle started.

Why would it add to the cycle time? I’ve had it years and it’s never done this.

It’s a Hotpoint, if anyone’s had similar issues or knows if there’s a good reason for it.

By the sound of it, I think your washing machine may have been delivered with the timeclock set for the planet Pluto rather than Earth.
I suggest you contact the retailer and explain this to them. (Don't let them fob you off with the old "That's not possible" ploy. Keep calling back if they hang up.)

All washing machines lie about cycle length, in my (bitter) experience.

Double post!

My washing machine does this - it is only two weeks old, also my previous one did, both Bosch.

It could be to do with the rinse, if it detects that it is not rinsed properly it adds extra time on.

Also unbalanced loads can affect the time.

Low water pressure or slow drainage can also be a factor.

Mine was advertised as having "fuzzy logic" which allegedly uses sensors to adjust the wash to optimise it. Not sure how or whether it works but it's meant to save water & energy. Eg if it detects there are still suds present it'll do an extra rinse, but if not it won't.

Thanks for the replies.

It’s just weird that I’ve had it at least 8 years and it’s never done this, and neither did the one before it. It’ll decrease the time remaining at random figures, but I’ve never known it to add to any cycle. And the load was no different from any other.

Although, I did a load the other day and it was all soaking wet when finished. Maybe it’s on its way out, or maybe it’s remembered a forgotten skill! Time will tell, I guess.

Thank you

The times given are only ever an estimate, so it's definitely normal for them to add and remove time depending on what's going on.

However given it's not something you've noticed before I'd troubleshoot. (I'm a bit confused with your OP because ~21 mins sounds much less than 1hr 12 mins to me.)

Is it noisy when it spins or does it spin a little bit and then stop, or throw an error saying the load is unbalanced? It sounds like it's not spinning well, this would definitely add time, because washing machines weigh the clothing when dry and then use that weight to work out how much water is still in it. If it's spun and it's still really wet then it thinks it's super absorbent dense fabric that will take ages to spin the water out of and possibly need a load of extra rinses. That could definitely happen if something is on the blink e.g. the bearings, the belt. This is how our last machine died, it was 8/9 years old as well. I read sometimes it's a cheap fix, but DH was team get a new machine so we did. I think 8 years is pretty good going for a Hotpoint.

When they do the thing of saying there's 1 min left but this actually takes 15+ mins, check the filter. It's usually trying to drain but can only drain vvv slowly.

I am experiencing the exact same problem with my 8 yr old machine. It keeps getting stuck on the spin part, so I started using a different setting and that worked for a few washes. Today, it wouldn''t spin at all and everything was soaking wet.

Time to get a new machine I think.

As PP said an unbalanced load will do this, as can too much detergent or putting too much into the machine. If it's a typical load and hasn't happened before it may be caused by an issue like clogged filters or pump preventing the water draining away quickly enough or slow water filling due to low pressure. If it happens again I'd get it serviced.

Just to add, I cleaned out the drain, switched it off and on again, then had to get the washer man out. He had no clue, and charged me £60!

My washing machine is a Hoover, and it too has a habit of stretching the space time continuum on a whim.

Check where your machine drains into is not blocked or partially blocked. We have a drain/sewer that blocks every now and then. Our w/m acts like yours when that happens.

My new machine did this. It was because the pipe at the back hadn’t been set up correctly so I was getting blow back of water during the cycle. The waste water pips should go up the back and back down

God, I’ve absolutely no idea how to check this stuff. I’m in a flat, so I’m paranoid about flooding my neighbour.

I’ll call someone out tomorrow.

You'd probably see water on your own floor before it started leaking downstairs so I would try not to worry about that. No harm in getting someone out to check it over though and fix any issues.

Our washing machine lies too.

I have a Samsung washer that does this on the cotton and the eco setting. Starts at an hour but takes about 3. All the others are fine. It’s so bizarre.

I wish I had a 1 hour cycle. The daily quick wash s about half an hour but the regular 40° cycle can take 3+ hours. My shitty cheap washing machine takes forever, doesn't display a time and doesn't even beep when its done. I miss my old one, it used to play a tune when it finished.